Mercedes-Benz ML500 4MATIC

Something old, something new.

30 August 2010Barry Park

Mercedes-Benz ML500 4MATIC

From $120,874

Why we're driving it: Mercedes-Benz has replaced the ML's old 225 kW, 5.0-litre V8 engine with a more fuel-efficient 285 kW, 5.5-litre version, and added a host of technology handed down from its more expensive models either as standard, or on the options list. Ours included almost $13,000 worth of options including metallic paint ($1900), Premium Package (heated and ventilated front seats, keyless start and Distronic intelligent cruise control, $4900), sunroof ($2900), in-car TV ($1800) and electric tailgate ($1000), bumping the price as tested to $133,600.

Likes: The big, all-wheel-drive Benz is supremely easy to drive in suburban traffic. Once on the highway it has long, lazy legs and its cabin comfort makes an easy task of ticking off the kilometres. The suspension can switch between comfort and sports settings, so you can have your fun with it as well. It's fairly economical, too, averaging 11.0 L/100 km on our test drive that varied from peak-hour traffic to the open highway.

Dislikes: I was surprised at how testy the Distronic system - Benz's name for the electronic voodoo that helps a driver avoid a collision - is in peak-hour traffic. I've used the system before with other Benz models and found aspects, such as the adaptive cruise control that automatically slows the car if the vehicle in front slows, a real boon. But the ML500 is the first Distronic-packaged model in which I've noticed a red warning symbol that pops up on the speedo dial if the car senses you're too close. In stop-start Melbourne traffic, Distronic leaves enough room for a semitrailer to cut in. Oh, and no Bluetooth? What's with that?

Would I buy one?

The ML's styling is starting to look a little old but the amount of gear you get as standard, including a reversing camera and active bi-xenon headlights with cornering lighting, is beginning to look appealing, even though the 5.5-litre is more expensive than the old 5.0-litre version it replaces. Me? I'd go for the dynamically more capable and sharper-looking $118,300 BMW X5 4.8i, although skimming over BMW's options list reveals I could end up paying more to get similar specifications to the Benz.

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The size of your tyre is located on the sidewall of your tyre.It will be similar to the sample below.